I got very frutrated with an on going mealy bug explosion in my phals so i
figured i would just soak a plant in 99.9% rubbing alcohol for a few minutes
and see what happened. Not sure if that was a good idea but it been 24 hours
and it still looks sort of alright. Who thinks it will live and who thinks
it will die??? oh yea i also repotted it at the same time. Am i an orchid
killer extrodinare or what??

It will live and thrive. But watch it for a week to ten days, and consider
treating again. Mealies are pretty easy to control using alcohol.

I hate the little suckers, though. Just when you think everything is fine,
there they are!

Diana

"Duncan" wrote in message
newsXvfk.112266$gc5.15238@pd7urf2no...
I got very frutrated with an on going mealy bug explosion in my phals so i
figured i would just soak a plant in 99.9% rubbing alcohol for a few
minutes and see what happened. Not sure if that was a good idea but it been
24 hours and it still looks sort of alright. Who thinks it will live and
who thinks it will die??? oh yea i also repotted it at the same time. Am i
an orchid killer extrodinare or what??

i will crush every one i can find and a week later the plants are covered
in giant ones. The mealies will kill the phals and i cant find a single
one on any Catts or Onc. and only the occasional one on a Den. Kingianum.
My boss bought a bunch of cold damaged Phals from home depot for a few bucks
each and they were infested. There were a couple of P. amabils v. formasa
in the mix that i kept because they are species. Am I ever regreting that
move.


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
...
It will live and thrive. But watch it for a week to ten days, and consider
treating again. Mealies are pretty easy to control using alcohol.

I hate the little suckers, though. Just when you think everything is fine,
there they are!

I use a spraying regiment using Ortho® Systemic Insect Killer Concentrate
and totally eliminated all mealy bugs on my phals
It worked just as well on scale on my catts but you have to keep at it well
after you think you killed them all.



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** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

I don't think it's a good idea to crush them, actually. You might be
spreading the larvae. And Phals seem to be a particular target of mealies,
but certainly not the only target.

Mealies really are easy to eradicate with alcohol. But you do want to avoid
spreading them. If the infestation is great, you will want to repot, because
they do infest the roots and medium. Get ahead of it now.

Diana

"Duncan" wrote in message
news:dnwfk.112527$gc5.52285@pd7urf2no...
i will crush every one i can find and a week later the plants are covered
in giant ones. The mealies will kill the phals and i cant find a single
one on any Catts or Onc. and only the occasional one on a Den. Kingianum.
My boss bought a bunch of cold damaged Phals from home depot for a few
bucks each and they were infested. There were a couple of P. amabils v.
formasa in the mix that i kept because they are species. Am I ever
regreting that move.


"Diana Kulaga" wrote in message
...
It will live and thrive. But watch it for a week to ten days, and
consider treating again. Mealies are pretty easy to control using
alcohol.

I hate the little suckers, though. Just when you think everything is
fine, there they are!

Nothing systemic allow up here at all. I used to use later's systox and
that was the neutron bomb. Total elimination of everything creepy OR crawly.

"Dusty" wrote in message
23.2...
I use a spraying regiment using Ortho® Systemic Insect Killer Concentrate
and totally eliminated all mealy bugs on my phals
It worked just as well on scale on my catts but you have to keep at it
well
after you think you killed them all.



http://www.scotts.com/smg/catalog/productTemplate.jsp?
bodyCssClass=scotts+blade+product+general+en&tabs= general&navAction=push&bo
dyId=product_general&proId=prod180014&itemId=cat50 080&id=cat50080
** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Jul 16, 7:59�pm, "Duncan" wrote:
I got very frutrated with an on going mealy bug explosion in my phals so i
figured i would just soak a plant in 99.9% rubbing alcohol for a few minutes
and see what happened. Not sure if that was a good idea but it been 24 hours
and it still looks sort of alright. Who thinks it will live and who thinks
it will die??? oh yea i also repotted it at the same time. Am i an orchid
killer extrodinare or what??

Duncan, When using highly concentrated alcohol, it isn't necessary to
soak for a few minutes. Alcohol is extremely toxic to insects on
contact. A simple dunk to ensure covering every nook & cranny is
sufficient. Find an insect. Spray it with your 99.9% concentration
alcohol. Watch it die instantly. --Stitzelweller

yea its not the happiest orchid i have ever seen, but them it was hurting
before too. I think i got them all though.

wrote in message
...
On Jul 16, 7:59?pm, "Duncan" wrote:
I got very frutrated with an on going mealy bug explosion in my phals so i
figured i would just soak a plant in 99.9% rubbing alcohol for a few
minutes
and see what happened. Not sure if that was a good idea but it been 24
hours
and it still looks sort of alright. Who thinks it will live and who thinks
it will die??? oh yea i also repotted it at the same time. Am i an orchid
killer extrodinare or what??

Duncan, When using highly concentrated alcohol, it isn't necessary to
soak for a few minutes. Alcohol is extremely toxic to insects on
contact. A simple dunk to ensure covering every nook & cranny is
sufficient. Find an insect. Spray it with your 99.9% concentration
alcohol. Watch it die instantly. --Stitzelweller

Besides having a decent orchid collection, my wife and I also have cacti. Our orchids have never, as yet, been attacked by mealy bugs. However, a few of our cacti have. We always use Methylated spirits applied to the bugs using cotton buds. This form of eradication is most effective and time consuming, but worth it in the long run.

P.

I will drove every one i can acquisition and a anniversary after the plants are covered in behemothic ones. The mealies will annihilate the phals and i deceit acquisition a single one on any Catts or Onc. and alone the casual one on a Den. Kingianum. My bang-up bought a agglomeration of algid damaged Phals from home annex for a few bucks each and they were infested.